Archive by Author | Danny

Cheap Date: August 1st

I’m sorry about the lack of a Cheap Date last week, but there was seriously nothing to get excited for (well, maybe a few comics but that was it). Plus I am sure most of you are trying to rewatch The Dark Knight Rises. Either way, this week we actually have a few items that you should consider spending your money on. Remember for Cheap Date, we will keep everything to under $30.

Hit the jump for all the lovely details.

Kuratas Brings Mechs Into Reality

Do you have $1.3 million just lying around? Have you ever wanted to pilot your own mech? Well, Suidobashi Heavy Industry is bringing you the Kuratas.

The Japanese based company revealed this week at the Wonder Festival in Japan a 13-foot, 12,000-pound war machine that is controlled by a pilot inside its cockpit. While not able to walk, it rolls around on wheels at 7 miles per hour. And if you want to feel like more of a badass, then you can upgrade your mech with hand guns that shoot BBs and a “LOHAS” launcher which shoots water bottles for a couple more hundred thousand.

Holy fucking hell, what are they doing in Japan? There have been a lot of inventions the past couple of years that make me fear for a Terminator apocalypse, now I have to worry about a Zaku rolling through my house.

To top off this story, all of this happens at the Wonder Festival. What usually happens at this convention? People show off their garage kits for toys and sculptures. Some of the new Japanese toys are revealed for the first time here, not usually the pilotable mech.

After the jump will be another video showcasing the assebmly of the Kuratas.

Me and My Shadow Poster

I am a big constituent for traditional media. I prefer practical effects in movies and love to death hand-drawn 2D animation. But I will admit that there are times when the CG work that goes into some movies are on par with traditional media, especially from certain studios.

One of those studios happens to be DreamWorks, who have done some fantastic work which include How to Train Your Dragon and Despicable Me.

They seem to trying to outdo themselves, as well as any other studio. Slated to come out in 2014, Me and My Shadow looks to combine hand-drawn and CG animation. This has been done before, especially in the early days of CG animation. The thing that really set this off for me is the style. It looks absolutely beautiful. The shadows will be hand-drawn, while the characters will be CG. Besides the improper use of grammar, I will be looking forward to this with much fervor.

Here, take a look at their first promotional poster.

July 23, 2012

CYaN Podcast Episode 13: Holy Tangents, Batman

Woohoo, another CYaN podcast for you to listen to. Ricky and Danny talk about a few different things, but to be honest we will really just be talking about the Dark Knight Rises and what we thought about it.

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July 23, 2012

Review of the Dark Knight Trilogy

This past weekend, the finale to Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight franchise screened around the world. Three movies from one of today’s best directors; and to top it off the movies were about a superhero. Join me as a review not only the finale, Dark Knight Rises, but also the first two movies, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. If you want to read the review for just the third film then you should check out Ricky’s The Dark Knight Review. Hit the jump to see what I thought of this trilogy.

It should go without saying, but SPOILERS for all three of the Nolan Batman movies.

A Moment of Silence for the Colorado Victims

I usually do not report on actual, real-life news but the events of last night might hit close to home for some of us sitting in a familiar setting.

Last night at a midnight screening for The Dark Knight Rises; a young man went into a theater in Aurora, Colorado and opened fire while wearing riot gear. Killing 12 and injuring at least 50. Almost like a scene right out from the movie.

Soon, there will most likely be reports on how movies, video games and comics were probably to blame. That is an argument for another day.

Today, I want to make sure everyone make sure they are safe and keep an eye out for each other. Please keep the victims and their families in your thoughts.

Thank you.

July 18, 2012

Cheap Date: July 18th

Caught you breath after SDCC? Good, now we can get back into the flow of things and go out on another Cheap Date. Here I will give suggestions on what you should spend your hard-earned money on nerdy entertainment, all for under thirty dollars!

Hit the jump for everything you would want to spend your money on.

CYaN Podcast Episode 12: Orel Messed With My Mouth

Welcome to the Call Yourself A Nerd Podcast; where your hosts Danny and Ricky will talk about this week’s topics. Of course, this week was San Diego Comic Con and we were left with a lot of surprises and bits of news. The news include all the upcoming Marvel Studios movies, Neil Gaiman and Sandman, and a few different Kickstarter projects

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July 13, 2012

Neil Gaiman To Write More Original Sandman

25 years ago, the first issue of Sandman was released on to shelves. Written by Neil Gaiman, it became one of the most beloved series of all time. It is one of the defining comics in my own personal life.

Since the series end, Gaiman has occasionally come back to the creative well that he used to redefine comics. Only one of these stories actually focused on the main protagonist of Sandman.

Gaiman is now teaming will an artist who has been described as someone who has redefined how comic are drawn. J.H. Williams III has been literally turning the comic work on its side with his art work. He continues to have one of the most complex and interesting styles in the market.

Together Gaiman and Williams will tell a new Sandman story.

I can not be more excited.